[bcavender]

Gents,

Is it possible to define a tool for madCAM like a T-Slot Cutter or Thread Mill such as these?



Thank You!

Bruce

[williamsmotower]

Unfortunately no. But in some cases there's work arounds. Specify tool with that cutter diameter, then carefully select your Z levels and lead ins

[bcavender]

Been scratching my head on this one a little. Your work around would work for doing t-slots just fine but the model would need a full slot ... so I would just need to have one model for generating tool paths and another for the accurate model. Things would get trickier trying to thread mill.

I can also understand why undercuts are to be avoided in the mold and die business ... not to mention the geometry gymnastics necessary to match an odd tool to Rhino nurbs.

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I wanted to try thread milling. With circ interpolation, I found it actually easier to write your own G code to drop into a post than try to use software to generate the entire geometry and make tool paths.

Check out this vid. At about one minute in, they overlay the three lines of g-code to do the full thread milling of a boss:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0mq2bIzc6g

I found this really helpful about just much could get done with the G02/G03 command (12 full circular passes with just 3 lines of code).

Still, I think at some time in the future it would be beneficial to work in a single point thread cutting tool following the style of the tapered cutter for madCAM to add to the madCAM product equation. It may not occur greatly, but having to do workarounds lowers productivity.

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The other angle for this might be to step up to a 4th/5th axis machine and look for other options for making the part rather than undercutting mills. Only have access to 3 axes now, but that is where I want to go eventually. I need to experiment with that in the demo as another alternative.That would help if I could find an in-system way to do it.

Thanks!
Bruce

[williamsmotower]

I have conversational on my mill (mach 3) that I use for thread milling.

You'll find it easy to draw Rhino curves just for Madcam toolpaths. I have some drawings where i just have a simple rectangle solid for Madcam to recognize, then simple curves with no depth. I input my depths with Z factors in Madcam.

[williamsmotower]

I've never used ot, but I believe there's a thread milling option in Madcam... click drilling icon,.. thread tab in there?

[bcavender]

There is a tapping option. Will have to look at that further.

[bcavender]

Rhino Curves to toolpaths?.... Now that is interesting.

I created a solid and had madCAM recognize it. Tool selection: check.

I put a simple line across the solid, but after looking at it for a while I am still missing how to convert it into a toolpath.

What am I missing here?

Thanks for the help!!!

Bruce

[williamsmotower]

Rhino Curves to toolpaths?.... Now that is interesting.

I created a solid and had madCAM recognize it. Tool selection: check.

I put a simple line across the solid, but after looking at it for a while I am still missing how to convert it into a toolpath.

What am I missing here?

Thanks for the help!!!

Bruce

For 2.5d work. Profiling, on curve, facing... the 1st mill cutter icon.

There's lot's of madcam functions where you can select a curve instead of a surface. (But the stock model needs to have a surface which you did)

[Dan B]

Those other options aren't functional yet. Eventually they will control cycles in the post.

Dan

[bcavender]

For 2.5d work. Profiling, on curve, facing... the 1st mill cutter icon.

There's lot's of madcam functions where you can select a curve instead of a surface. (But the stock model needs to have a surface which you did)

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Williams,

Thanks for the suggestions on 2.5d operations. It took me a couple hours of experimenting to catch on.



Tool path generation from Rhino curves for facing, profiling, pocketing and drilling is really pretty easy. Thank for the suggestions!

Going to try to break into the fourth axis part this afternoon to try to see if that might be an workable/affordable option for my project for undercutting on a side of a cylinder.

What type machine are you driving with MACH3?

Tnx!

Bruce